Fifth-wheel.



I. TEETBR.

FIFTH WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 27, 1907.

903,241. Patented Nov. 10,1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

witnesses unventor Maw Q/M aw I. TEBTER. FIFTH WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED Mn. 21, 1901.

' Patented Nov. 10, 1908,

2 BHBETBSHEET 2 inventor TN F IRA TEETER, OF GHATHAM, ONTARIO, CANADA.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1908.

Application filed April 27, 1907. Serial No. 370,710.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA TEETER, a citizen of the United States, residingat Chatham, in the county of Kent, Province of Ontario, Canada, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifth-Wheels; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to fifth wheels for vehicles, and consists in theconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth andpointed out particularly in the claims.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a fifth wheel ofsimple, compact and strong construction, wherein conical bearings areprovided upon which the movable members of the fifth wheel turn andwhich serve to relieve the connecting bolts from all lateral strain.

A further object is to provide means for securing the parts to the axlein a manner to enable the parts to be securely retained in place, and atthe same time obviate a weakening of the axle incident in structures ofthis kind wherein the axle is pierced by the king-bolt.

A further object is to so construct the wearing parts as to preventtheir wearing loose with use, obviating the liability of said partsrattling.

The above objects are attained by the structure illustrated in theaccompanying draw,- ings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a fifthwheel structure involving my invention. Fig. 2 is a central transversesection as on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar sectionlongitudinally of the spring and axle as on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a horizontal section on the dividing line between the upper cap plateand the lower rotative plate of the fifth wheel, as indicated by line4t4t of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a similar section, showing the position ofparts with the axle turned, and showing by dotted lines the movementnecessary to disengage said parts.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates the forward axleof a vehicle, and 2 the rotative lower disk of the fifth wheel whichcarries a transverse cross bar 3 which depends from and is formedintegral with the lower side of said disk and which is channeled in itsunder face to rest upon the axle. The upper face of the lower disk 2 isprovided with the circular concavity 4 and with the central conicaldepression 5. Projecting from the opposite edges of said rotative disk 2at right angles to the cross bar 3 are the segmental flanges 6. Restingupon the circular plate or disk 2 is the upper disk or cap plate 7having a central, depending cone 8 which fits into the conical recess ofthe disk 2 and having a rounded under face 9 which fits into thecircular concavity of said disk 2, whereby the plate 7 becomes centrallyseated upon the disk 2 and is held per fectly in place, at the same timeaffording ample bearing surface to prevent undue wear between saidparts.

For the purpose of locking the upper cap plate and the lower rotativedisk together, said cap plate is provided upon the inner margin thereofwhich embraces the perimeter of the disk 2, with the inwardly projectingsegmental lips 10 with which the segmental flanges 6 of said disk 2 areadapted to normally engage to hold said parts together. The openings 11,however, between the ends of the segmental lips 10, are of such lengthas to permit the segmental flanges of the disk 2 to pass, and saidopenings are so positioned that it is necessary to swing the plate 2 soas to cause the cross bar 3 which rests upon the axle, to stand at anacute angle to the transverse axis of the fifth wheel, as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 5, before said flanges will be caused to registerwith said openings, when said parts will enter one into the other andmay be locked together by rotating the disk 2 back to the position shownin Fig. 4. The parts are so formed that an accidental separation of thedisk and cap plate forming the fifth wheel cannot occur when thetransporting wheels are mounted on the ends of the axle, owing to theabrupt angle to which the axle must be turned in order to allow saidparts to separate.

Crossing the upper face of the cap plate 7 parallel with the transverseaxis thereof is a concaved seat 12 for the spring 13 which rests thereonand is secured thereto by the vertical tie-bolts 14: passing throughsaid cap plate and through said spring, as clearly shown in Fig. 8.

To join the rotative disk 2 and the upper cap plate 7 at the axis ofoscillation of said disk, the tie-bolt 15 is employed which passesupwardly through said disk and cap plate, and also through the spring13, the upper end of said bolt receiving the nut 16.

Formed integral with and projecting rearwardly from the cap plate arethe forked reach irons 17 with which the forward ends of the forkedreach 18 are secured.

The axle 1 is seated in a cross bar 19 which extends parallel with thecross bar 3 of the disk 2, and said bars are securely fastened to theaxle by means of the clips 20 whose threaded ends pass through the ears21 on the ends of the bar 19. Upon the under side of the cross bar 19 isa depending bearing boss 22. Secured to the reach plates 23 which lieupon the under side of the forked reach, is a forked brace member 24which unites in a single forwardly extending member 25 that crosses atright angles the under face of the bar 19 and is provided with a socketthat receives the bearing boss 22. The terminal portion of the forwardlyextending member 25 of the forked brace curves upwardly into contactwith the under face of the cap plate 7 at the forward edge thereof andis provided with a foot 26 through which passes a bolt 27 that joinssaid member to, said plate, thereby firmly connecting the reach with,the front and rear edges of the cap plate. Passing through the cross bar19 and through the brace, 25 is a bolt 28 which pivotally unites saidparts. It will now be understood that the bearing boss 22 and thebearing cone 8 form the bearing parts upon which the movable members ofthe fifth wheel swing, and that said bearing parts relieve the bolts 15and 28 from all lateral strain. It will further be evident that theparts of the fifth wheel which have a relative movement'are so shapedand s0 fitted together as to afford an unusual wearing surface, therebyinsuring great durability and obviating the liability of said wearingparts becoming loose. It will further be evident that because of themanner herein shown of mounting the parts upon the axle, the axle is notpierced by any of the connecting bolts, thereby obviating the weakeningthereof.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1.111 a fifth wheel, the combination of an axle, a cap plate, a rotativedisk seated within the cap plate and detachably associated therewith torotate about its axis, said disk having a depending crossbar seated on.the axle, said cap plate having integral reach irons which. extend ontothe reach, a lower cross barin which the axle is seated, meansconnecting the cross bar of said disk and said.

lower cross bar to clamp them to the axle, a lower brace extending fromthe reach to the forward edge of the cap plate and crossing said lowercross bar, said brace member having a socket therein, a bearing boss onthe lower cross bar seated in said socket, and bolts tying said partstogether.

2. In a fifth wheel, the combination of an axle, a rotative :disk havinga cross 'bar mounted on the axle, said disk consisting of a circularportion having projecting flanges, a cap plate fitted. on said diskhaving segmental lips adapted to engage said flanges, said cap platehaving rearwardly extending reach irons adapted to engage the reach, alower cross bar in which the axle is seated, means connecting the crossbar of said disk and the lower cross bar to clamp them to theinterlocking members upon the cap plate and disk to detachably jointhem, said disk having a cross bar upon its under face adapted to seatupon the axle, the lower cross bar embracing the under side of the axle,means for clamping said bars to the axle, a lower brace rod crossing thelower cross bar, means effecting a pivotal union between said bar andbrace rod, and a bolt connecting the rotative disk and cap plate.

4:. In a fifth wheel, the combination of the axle, a rotative diskhaving a cross bar upon its lower face seated upon the axle, said diskhaving a conical socket in its upper face, a cap platecsea-ted on saiddisk and supported thereby, said plate having a depending bearing conewhich enters said socket, means for detachably connecting said disk andplate, reach irons extending from the cap plate to the reach, a lowerbrace extending from the reach to the forward edge of the cap plate, atransverse bar having a depending bearing boss journaled in said braceand having a seat which receives the under side of the axle, an axleseated in said bar and supporting the rotative disk, and means forsecuring said bar and disk to the axle.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses,

IRA TEETER.

WVitnesses:

O. B. BAENZIGER, I. Gr. HowLE'rr.

